


Interview with a Dragon

by Selah



Series: Matteiru Kara [8]
Category: Jrock, Overwatch (Video Game), VAMPS (Japan Band), World of Warcraft
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-20
Updated: 2019-03-20
Packaged: 2019-11-26 11:07:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18179810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selah/pseuds/Selah
Summary: Just a job interview. How bad could it be?





	Interview with a Dragon

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HamHamHeaven](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HamHamHeaven/gifts).



> It hasn't really come up before now, but for MK purposes, Hanzo is ~50 while Genji is ~20 and Allie/Alexstraza is ~25. None of which is terribly relevant to this fic, but still worth noting? Ju-ken, Arimatsu, and JunJi are all roughly the same age in-verse and older than Allie by a couple of years.
> 
> The Ari/Juny content got a little buried, oops, but it's verse canon now, so... ww

“Seriously, Ari, if you don't quit pacing, you're going to start making _me_ nervous!”

Arimatsu closed his eyes, forcing himself to take a deep breath. It didn't really help, his legs itching to get back to pacing the small waiting area almost immediately. He knew coming this early had been a mistake, but he hadn't wanted to risk being late by taking a later train, so now he had to just deal with it. So of course the actual owner of the shop where he was supposed to be interviewing was still out to lunch.

“Sit and I'll bring you tea,” his best friend, Ju-ken, said and he could hear the frown in the man's voice before he even opened his eyes to see it.

“... that bad?” he asked, a rueful smile turning his lips.

“Oh yeah,” Ju-ken replied, smirking. “Now sit, I mean it. Allie-san won't let the boss be late back from lunch.”

Another deep breath and Arimatsu collapsed into one of the waiting chairs. Just a job interview. One he desperately wanted to go well, and not just because it would mean working in the same shop as his best friend. Working for Shimada Tattoo would be a chance at a stable environment, steady shifts (he hoped) that might even be enough for him to quit his part-time job at the grocer. He was too old to still be a bag boy, dammit, but getting steady enough work as a piercer had proven harder than he could have expected. His soulmate had yet to complain and they always had enough money to cover their needs, but then Juny was like that. Never complaining about having to make up the difference when Arimatsu's income fell short, when plans fell through. If things went badly, Juny would smile, remind Arimatsu how lucky they were to be together, and promise they would figure out a way through. They always did.

But that didn't stop Arimatsu from feeling guilty about not being able to pull his own weight. He hated being a burden to anyone, but especially his precious soulmate. He _needed_ this job, dammit. It was why he was here early, in a freshly pressed suit with his hair dyed back to black. Sure, it was a tattoo shop, but Arimatsu was a licensed professional and he was going to act like it, make the best possible first impression he could. If that meant covering his tattoos, well, that was a staple of leaving the house anyway.

“Better,” Ju-ken announced when he returned, handing Arimatsu a slightly sweaty bottle of chilled green tea. “You know, you didn't have to go so far. I mean, look at me!”

“Yeah, you already have a job, though,” he countered, snorting a little. On the one hand, Ju-ken's baggy shorts and tank-top, scraggly beard and visible tattoos were good signs. Then again, the shop sign was still flipped to “closed” and he was pretty sure that was paint thinner he was smelling. It wasn't like Arimatsu didn't know about the building fire that had resulted in Shimada Tattoo being closed to business for the last couple of months now. Was Ju-ken here because he was working on the remodeling or just because Arimatsu had this interview? The fact that the man was keeping him company suggested the latter. The waiting area looked fine, but what that meant about the rest of the shop, Arimatsu couldn't say. Did this interview mean the shop was looking to reopen soon? He really hoped so.

_Slow down there, Ari. You don't even have a job here yet_ , he silently scolded himself, sipping his tea. His knee was jittering now, but at least he wasn't pacing.

Ju-ken's watch started beeping and his best friend sighed.

“Right, that's my lunch break. Look, just ... be yourself, yeah?” his friend suggested. “Meet at the usual place tonight for dinner?”

“Maybe,” Arimatsu huffed, rubbing a hand on his thigh. “I'll let you know.”

If he didn't get this job, he really wasn't going to be in the mood for going out to dinner. Even if he did, he wasn't sure how much celebrating he was going to want to do. Especially since he was just about broke. Again. He'd have to run it by his soulmate.

“Arimatsu Hiroshi-san?”

Arimatsu looked up sharply at the calling of his name, promptly setting aside his bottle and standing up to offer the older man a properly polite bow.

“Yes, sir. Thank you for this opportunity, sir.”

“Have a seat, we'll talk out here,” the man he was guessing to be the owner said. Shimada was older than Arimatsu was expecting, hints of grey starting to appear in his short beard. The long hair, pulled up into a knot and exposing the undercut and pierced ears, was also a surprise. Honestly, about the only thing that _wasn't_ a surprise were the dusty jeans and t-shirt and the full sleeve dragon tattoo on the man's left arm.

“So, according to your application you're a licensed piercer and EMT and yet you're working ... at a grocery store?” Shimada asked.

“I, um, I'm doing piercings by appointment two days a week at a shop in Harajuku, but it's ... I'm not technically employed there,” he admitted, forcing himself not to squirm.

“Some particular reason you aren't using that EMT certification?” the man asked, frowning.

“I took the classes because I was told it would help me get steady work, saving lives isn't really my calling,” he said, nervously rubbing the back of his neck. Was this where Shimada called him an idiot and ended the interview? He could feel the man studying him with surprising intensity, but instead of calling him a fool, he just nodded.

“Knowing one's limits is important,” Shimada said. “We haven't had a full-time piercer here before, I can't say how much work I'll actually have for you. I'm also short an apprentice, some of the more ... menial tasks I would have set him will probably fall to you instead.”

“S-such as?” he stammered.

“Routine cleaning, running the autoclave, keeping the client rooms stocked, some of the errands and paperwork filing, especially if Gen-chan isn't in.”

Nothing terrible unreasonable then. He nodded, wondering if this was the point where he asked about pay. He didn't want to be uncouth, but he really needed to know what to expect, if this was going to let him quit his other job or not.

“And of course your arrangement with that other shop would have to end before you started working here.”

Another nod; he had been expecting that, really. In fact, he was hoping he could use that to his advantage, but that meant asking the money questions now. Nothing for it but to dive on in, he supposed.

“Would I be allowed to set pricing? I have a number of appointments already booked, depending on how soon you wanted me to start and what your pricing policy is, I could reschedule them to come here.”

Was that surprise on the older man's face? He wasn't sure.

“As I said, I haven't done this before, but Ken-kun made a compelling argument. But to answer your questions, ah, one moment,” Shimada said. Arimatsu sat back, a little startled, as he watched the man leave his clipboard at the reception desk before disappearing into the back of the shop. If Shimada hadn't worked with a piercer before, hadn't offered the service to his clients in the past, then maybe Arimatsu would be allowed to set his own rates? That was probably wishful thinking on his part, but....

“I don't suppose you speak English?”

“Pardon?” he asked, blinking stupidly. He wasn't sure which was more jarring, the unexpected question or the fact that the man had only stuck his head around the door frame.

“English. Do you speak it?”

“Very badly at best. Um, why?” he asked. Yet instead of an answer, the man just grunted and nodded, then disappeared again. Well, that was ... completely bizarre. Nervous, he fussed at his tie, straightened his suit jacket again. Maybe he soulmate was right, maybe the next time he had to re-certify his EMT training he should just bite the bullet and take an EMT job. It would mean ridiculous hours doing work he would probably burn out on in just a few years, but it would mean steady, _good_ money for as long as he could handle the job. That sort of certainty would be better than this, wouldn't it?

“My apologies,” Shimada said when he finally walked back into the room, escorting a stunning woman in worn work clothes splattered with a surprising array of paints. “We've been making some administrative changes. My wife, Alexis, Allie. She takes care of money matters for me now, but I'm afraid she speaks very little Japanese just yet. But if you're willing to trust me, I can translate between you?”

Was she ... blushing? Arimatsu swallowed past the sudden lump in his throat.

“I think that would be all right,” he said with a little nod. He knew more English than he could actually speak, it would give him a chance to test how much he still knew and how honest this Shimada person was.

Shimada started by relaying his question about pricing and she nodded, launching into an explanation that he didn't entirely catch but seemed to be about having done her own research and having a scheme set. Arimatsu scratched the end of his nose and waited for Shimada to translate.

“She says she has already researched a price sheet based on what seemed to be common services offered and median rates, with a bit more factored in based on our shop's reputation for quality, but she fully expected it would need to be approved by ... well, you, in this case,” Shimada said, something like an amused smile quirking at the corner of his lips. “How loyal are your clients?”

Arimatsu pressed his lips together, mostly to keep from sucking in a wary breath. He was pretty sure most, if not all, of his clients only came to him because he was on the cheaper end of the spectrum. But undercutting the competition had been the only way to keep enough clients coming in to keep his deal with the parlor he used.

“That bad, hmm?” Shimada said with what felt like a sympathetic smile. “If you clear them all in ... two weeks? It won't matter. We'll need that long before we can properly reopen.”

Arimatsu nodded, already pretty sure he was just going to have to cancel for any appointments more than two weeks out if he actually got this job. He might be able to reschedule a couple to come in on his next four days at the Harajuku shop, but while he would happily offer his clients slots here at this shop, he doubted anyone would want to pay more just to get their piercing done by _him_.

Shimada's wife suggested something about a discount and he had to resist the urge to shake his head before the translation. And yet something must have still given him away because both the tattoo artist and his wife were giving him a look now.

“... understand more than you speak?” Shimada asked after a moment that felt like forever. Arimatsu scratched his nose again, a sheepish grin trying to find its way onto his face, he was certain of it.

“Some,” he admitted. Great, now he was going to lose this job opportunity for a completely stupid reason.

“My fault for asking the question wrong,” Shimada said, shaking his head while his wife tried to cover the fact that she was giggling. Maybe he hadn't lost the job yet after all?

“I don't like being lied to,” the man grumbled, “but since you weren't actually lying.... But I take it you don't think offering a loyalty discount is a good idea?”

“I wouldn't say I have loyal customers so much as ... it's mostly Harajuku kids looking for cheap piercings. This place is a bit upscale for most of them,” he explained with a helpless shrug. Not that he was going to complain if it meant an upgrade in his own clientele, but he also worried that he wasn't going to be bringing in enough business to justify the expense of hiring him.

“I can tell you're the sort of person who wears his worries on his sleeve,” Shimada said with another nod. “I can respect that. Tell me more about yourself? Why get into this sort of work?”

On more familiar interview footing now, Arimatsu nodded as he started talking about himself and his experience and work history. He was a little surprised that Shimada's wife chose to stay for the rest of the interview, especially when Shimada wasn't offering her much translation of what he was saying. Although the way she listened patiently, intently, he had to wonder if her Japanese wasn't on par with his English – knew enough to get a general sense of what he was saying, but not enough to form coherent, adult responses.

“Do you see color?” Shimada asked after what felt like a complete interview.

“E-excuse me?”

“Do you see color?” the older man repeated, ignoring the jab from his wife.

“That, ah, that's rather personal, isn't it?” Arimatsu replied, glancing at Alexis in thin hope of a rescue.

“I am aware that it is a personal matter,” the man rumbled, arms crossing over his chest. “And in other fields it might not matter, but I don't do color work on people who can't see color and I can't _teach_ color work to someone who doesn't see color. So. Do you see color?”

“Y-yes,” he stammered. “F-full spectrum.”

That got a raised eyebrow out of Shimada and he dropped his arms.

“Unusual at your age,” the tattoo artist said with a little nod. Arimatsu had to bite the inside of his cheek when Alexis slapped her husband upside the back of his head with a reminder that _she_ could see full color and wasn't even twenty-six. He didn't understand Shimada's response, but he was also fairly certain it wasn't meant for him anyway.

“Twin-flame or –,” but even before he could finish asking the question, Alexis swatted her husband again, telling him to stop being so rude and intrusive. For which Arimatsu was silently grateful. He loved his Juny more than life itself, but he also knew their society wasn't exactly the most supportive of two men being romantically involved with each other. And if Ju-ken hadn't offered up their companion state, _he_ certainly wasn't going to do it.

“All right then. Allie needs a copy of your license and your banking information so we can arrange direct deposit. It's a salaried position, paid on the 15th and 30th, or nearest business day, each month. If we can get you to fill this out for taxes and then perhaps you and Allie can finalize the services and price list while I see about getting you a first run of business cards with your name on them.”

“I ... r-really?” he stammered. Surely it couldn't be this easy!

“... are you saying you're not interested?”

“Ah, no, no, I'm definitely...! I wasn't expecting an offer this quickly, that's all,” he said, silently praying he hadn't just blown it.

“Yes, well,” Shimada grumbled and Arimatsu wondered what it was the man wasn't saying. “You start in two weeks. Allie?”

Arimatsu sat back, a little startled when Shimada actually got up and walked into the back of the shop. That ... how...? Alexis muttered something, but she was also laughing, so ... he didn't know what to think. Until she handed him a clipboard with a familiar sheet of paper. Right, right. Didn't need a translator to do paperwork, really. Still, this whole thing felt surreal.

“ _You know_ ,” Allie said casually from where she was getting something from behind the front counter, “ _from what Ju-ken was telling us, you aren't what I was expecting_.”

“ _Is bad_?” he asked, feeling awkward.

“ _Not bad_ ,” she said, shaking her head. She paused then, studying him again, and Arimatsu had to restrain himself to keep from fidgeting. She really was a striking woman, almost as tall as he was with brilliant red hair that he couldn't quite believe was natural at that shade and yet it suited her perfectly. She was so completely different from Shimada, he was burning with curiosity for how the two had met. And when. By his estimates, if her husband was almost twice her age, there was no way she could be the original source of his color vision – and that ironclad rule about teaching color work only to people who could see it had to have come from Shimada's own master – meaning there was quite the story behind this unlikely coupling. Not that he dared ask, that would be far too personal a question, even if he had the words. But maybe he could ask Ju-ken later?

It wasn't easy, but with a mangled mix of English and Japanese, the two of them were able to make it through the paperwork and even the price list. Allie – not Alexis, that was apparently part of some game between husband and wife that Arimatsu's English wasn't good enough to grasp – listened as he explained his concerns and then she was showing him around the back areas of the shop, obviously unfinished but nearing readiness.

“ _Why two weeks still? This paint could be done by end of weekend_.”

“ _Waiting on equipment. Chair for you, new autoclave, new security system, different front counter_.”

He nodded, supposing that made sense, even if he would have liked a sooner start date just to get away from that other shop sooner. Shimada Tattoo was a whole other level above that place, classy and refined. Maybe too classy for a natural drifter like him.

“Ah, there you are. Has Allie been showing you around then? Good, good. Any questions?”

“I noticed the front doesn't really suggest what it is you do here,” he said, nervous he was about to say something he shouldn't.

“I prefer to work by appointment,” Shimada said with a nod. “But we are replacing the front counter with one that will be able to display the jewelry options. That and the stock should be coming in next week.” 

“S-stock?” he stammered, momentarily caught off guard. And then feeling like a complete idiot for it. Shimada's frown was rather intimidating and then something went off like a light bulb in his eyes.

“I take it you already have some sort of display case and inventory,” the older man said, his wife promptly interrupting him to express a mix of bafflement and outrage. It was ... refreshing and even a bit endearing, that someone besides his soulmate should be so outraged on his behalf, though he could feel his eyes threatening to pop out of his head when she went on to insist he quit his agreement immediately. Shimada glanced between Arimatsu and his wife a couple of times before nodding.

“I take it you got the gist of that little tirade,” the tattoo artist said with a wry grin. “She's right, that place has been taking complete advantage of you. Is there some financial reason not to break your arrangement with them immediately or is it merely a matter of honor?”

“The appointments I'd lose and the money I already paid to use their space for the coming month that they're unlikely to refund,” Arimatsu said, rubbing the back of his neck. “More the appointments than the rent. I mean, I was already out the latter anyway, so.”

Husband and wife shared a silent moment, somehow communicating without saying a word. And then Allie slipped away, leaving him alone with her husband. He had heard of soulmates being able to share words and feelings with just a look, even experienced it a few times with his own Junji, but not quite like that.

“Call your appointments,” Shimada said, a little gruff. “Tell them you've relocated here and as a special, they can get the scheduled piercing at your old rate. You'll have to move the appointments to next week at the soonest, but we can open enough to start seeing your clients on Monday. Bring over all your equipment tomorrow, Allie will no doubt insist on buying it off you.”

“B-buying it?”

“You work for me, obviously your equipment expenses would be covered by the shop's operating budget,” Shimada said with a casual shrug. “Genji-kun will be in tomorrow as well, he can show you our computer system.”

Arimatsu was too stunned to even think for a second. He had come in for an interview, expecting to be told he would hear back in a few days. Instead, he had been hired on the spot and with a start date much sooner than he ever would have expect. It was surreal, to say the least.

“Also, these are yours.”

Business cards, with his name and the Shimada Tattoo logo.

“I ... thank you, sir.”

“Who knows, perhaps some of your clients will surprise you,” Shimada said with a terse nod. Arimatsu certainly hoped so, after this much kindness. Still, he wouldn't hold his breath.

~*~*~

Junji was only sort of surprised to come home to the sound of his soulmate clattering around their apartment. Arimatsu got into these moods sometimes, especially when he was stressed. As nervous as his soulmate had been the last few days, terrified of blowing a big job interview of some sort, Junji wasn't entirely sure if this clatter was a good sign or not.

“Ari? Baby? I'm home,” he called out, slipping out of his shoes.

“Juny! Juny! You won't believe it! Look, look!”

His soulmate had some sort of card in his hand, but he was waving it around so wildly that Junji couldn't actually see what it said.

“Ah, how tired are you?” his soulmate asked, stopping quite abruptly. “Ken-tan wants to meet for dinner, I told him I'd have to see how you felt. I know it's a Wednesday, but....”

“... if we go out tonight, that's our date budget for the month,” Junji said with a little frown. He didn't want to discourage his soulmate from spending time with his best friend, especially with the secondary soul connection between them, but with Arimatsu's hours at the store getting cut yet again....

“You didn't look at it,” Arimatsu said, pouting.

“What, at the card you were waving around so enthusiastically I _couldn't_ look at it?” Junji countered, smiling gently. That was enough to put a blush on his soulmate's cheeks and Arimatsu handed him the card. A business card, a proper business card in full color with his soulmate's name printed on it.

“You got the job? Baby, that's great!”

“Starting immediately,” Arimatsu confirmed with a nod. “Well, Monday for actual appointments, but the boss wants me to bring in all my equipment and stock tomorrow morning first thing. They're going to teach me their scheduling software and then I'm going to re-book all my appointments, Allie-san is threatening to pay me tomorrow, my first actual paycheck is the 15th. Salaried, Juny, not commission or margin, and the shop pays operating expenses. That's why she's threatening to pay me – she wants to buy out my stock.”

“Is that what this is then?” Junji asked, gesturing to the semi-controlled chaos strewn across their small lounge.

“Ah, yeah,” his soulmate replied, rubbing the back of his neck. “I haven't kept on top of my inventory records lately, don't want to go to the boss's wife tomorrow and not be able to tell her what I've got and how quickly I typically go through supplies.”

“All right, well, let me get out of this monkey suit,” Junji said, gesturing to himself, “and then we can go? Is Ken-kun expecting us at a specific time or place?”

“He should be getting off the clock about now, I think, so ... our usual place okay?” Arimatsu asked, pulling his phone from his jeans. “I'll text him, see what he says.”

“Usual place is fine with me,” Junji agreed with a nod. “I'm so proud of you, Ari.”

Junji's _intention_ had been for a quick kiss on the cheek before he went to change, but his soulmate turned at just the right moment that lips landed on lips instead. This one was just as electric as their first accidental kiss all those years ago and before Junji quite realized what he was doing, he had his hand down Arimatsu's jeans, roughly palming his cock. His soulmate wasn't any better, fingers tangling in Junji's hair as he moaned and rocked closer.

“Juny....”

He loved the way desperation would color his soulmate's voice in times like this, the thrill that came from doing something, if not exactly _naughty_ , then close to it. Thoughts of jobs and inventories and even dinner disappeared as, eager as two teenagers, they stumbled into the bedroom, a trail of discarded, unwanted clothes in their wake. Hungry kisses and soft, loving mumbles entwined as they came together again, and for a few perfect moments nothing else in the world existed but the two of them.

“Ah fuck,” Arimatsu mumbled, throwing a glance at the bedside alarm clock. “Should call Ken-tan, let him know we're still coming.”

“Maybe don't put it _quite_ that way,” Junji suggested, chuckling and brushing another kiss to Arimatsu's collarbone. The bite he had left there earlier was already starting to bruise nicely, he felt really quite pleased with himself, even if no one else was likely to see the mark. Seen or not, he knew it was there, quietly proclaiming Arimatsu was claimed.

“Pervert,” his soulmate huffed, playfully shoving at his shoulder. Junji laughed as he let himself be pushed away, putting a playful sway into his hips as he headed for their shower. And wasn't the least bit surprised at how quickly Arimatsu pounced, eager for round two. They were definitely going to be delayed at this rate, but Ju-ken would understand. He always did.

~*~*~

“Are you sure about this?” Hanzo murmured, tucking his arms around his mate. Allie actually snorted even as she leaned into his chest.

“Nobu and I agree, it's worth the monetary hit to get him away from that sucking pit sooner. I can't believe that other shop was making him pay for everything himself _and_ charging rent _and_ skimming a percentage off the top of his sales! Ridiculous! And people think _you're_ a criminal??”

Hanzo couldn't help a low chuckle at that, hugging her close for a moment.

“Your heart is too pure for this world sometimes, my queen,” he rumbled, shaking his head.

“And you too nosy,” she countered, stepping back to lightly jab him in the chest. “What was that question about his color vision? We're hiring him as a piercer, not a new apprentice for you, what does it matter if he can see color or not?”

“Junichi pushed it,” Hanzo said with another shake of his head. How could he explain what his dragon had shown him when Junichi hadn't used words?

“... you were testing him, weren't you? Shimada Hanzo!” Allie exclaimed, jabbing him in the chest again, a little harder this time.

“A master is allowed to test prospective new students,” he grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest to keep himself from trying to pull her into his arms. “And if you think Nobu didn't do his own testing before siding with you on wanting to protect that young man....”

The flush of color in Allie's cheeks was just as beautiful as it had been the first time. In spite of his intentions, Hanzo's control broke, fingers reaching out to brush against her cheek.

“Just because they are not dragons, that does not make Ju-ken and Hiroshi any less family, yes?”

“Adopting him awfully fast,” she mumbled. His lips twitched as he tried not to laugh just yet.

“Says the woman who nearly threw a fit at hearing what that other shop was doing to him. Ah, but go easy with him, my queen, yes? Hiroshi is not used to your American ways, don't chase him off by being too forward, yes?”

“Hasn't chased _you_ off,” she countered, arching an eyebrow at him.

“Because you and I are mated dragons, my love. Not even the gods themselves could keep me from you for long. But these others....”

“So little faith in me,” she mock-huffed, her lips twisting into a playful grin a beat later. “I'll be mindful of his potentially delicate sensibilities, love, I promise.”

Hanzo couldn't resist, catching her in his arms and pressing another brief kiss to her forehead. Of course he trusted her, had complete faith in her. But if they were to open the shop even partway by Monday, they had a lot of work to finish. On the other hand, since Allie was insisting on hiring him on immediately, well, perhaps they would just have this Hiroshi help with the work as well. If he had a solid enough head on his shoulders to be able to pass EMT certifications, he could likely manage to lay tiles in straight lines with just a little guidance. Not the usual apprentice work, but he doubted Hiroshi would put up much fuss.


End file.
